title: Pleiotropic effects of rosuvastatin on the glucose metabolism and the subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue behavior in C57Bl/6 mice.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether rosuvastatin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) modulates the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the increase in body mass in a model of diet-induced obesity. Male C57Bl/6 mice (3-months-old) were fed a high-fat diet (HF, 60% lipids) or the standard chow (SC, 10% lipids) for 15 weeks. The animals were then treated with 10 mg/kg/day (HF-R10 group), 20 mg/kg/day (HF-R20), or 40 mg/kg/day (HF-R40) of rosuvastatin for five weeks. The HF diet led to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, weight gain, increased visceral adiposity with adipocyte hypertrophy, and hepatic steatosis (micro and macrovesicular). The rosuvastatin treatment decreased the adiposity and the adipocyte size in the HF-R10 and HF-R20 groups. In addition, rosuvastatin changed the pattern of fat distribution in the HF-R40 group because more fat was stored subcutaneously than in visceral depots. This redistribution improved the fasting glucose and the glucose intolerance. Rosuvastatin also improved the liver morphology and ultrastructure in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, rosuvastatin exerts pleiotropic effects through a dose-dependent improvement of glucose intolerance, insulin sensitivity and NAFLD and changes the fat distribution from visceral to subcutaneous fat depots in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ultrastructure and Tecidual Biology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, 20551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neto-Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ultrastructure and Tecidual Biology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, 20551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinícius Novaes
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Souza-Mello
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mandarim-de-Lacerda
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ultrastructure and Tecidual Biology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, 20551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: de Carvalho